1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a stand specifically designed to adjustably position and maintain a woven material type article such as macrame, woven rugs, etc., in predetermined positions relative to an operator performing work on the article wherein the stand may be mobile, and sufficiently versatile to handle a number of different articles primarily through the adjustment of the height of the article during work performance thereon.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Woven cloth products or articles have been in existence and utilized for various purposes for numerous years. More specifically, articles such as rugs, tapestry and the like have been utilized for centuries not only as functional products but as works of art. While various methods utilized in the forming of such woven cloth articles vary greatly, it is common practice to use some type of support table, stand or generally supported structure on which to form the device.
With the advent of modern technology, the average person has enjoyed an increasing amount of free time in which to practice pursuits other than their chosen profession or job. Accordingly, there has been an increase in the popularity and variety of leisure time hobbies. A number of these hobbies have taken the form of craft development including weaving and the creative forming of various types of similar woven cloth articles.
In particular, the popularity of macrame has increased greatly and is currently being practiced by young and old alike and also people generally considered as handicapped. In the performance of forming the macrame product, long hours must be spent forming the article and otherwise causing hand manipulation of the material used to form the macrame product. It is quite apparent that while enjoyable, this process can become extremely tiresome. This is especially true in view of the fact that the product is usually formed by attaching it in a downwardly extending fashion to some type of support device wherein the operator normally stands and then moves about the article performing the various necessary hand manipulations in order to accomplish the finished product.
Conventional techniques such as those described above, while being tiresome, as pointed out, also does not lend itself to being accomplished by the handicapped or by older people who cannot comfortably spend the hours necessary in a standing up position.
There is, therefore, a recognized need in the industry for some type of support structure which would allow adjustable positioning of the macrame or like product relative to the worker so as to eliminate the discomforting process of performing the work in a standing up position. Obviously, there are numerous support type stands or racks which are primarily designed to serve as display stands or clothing racks which, while possibly adaptive to the performance of forming a macrame product, are not particularly efficient or suited to such an adaptation. The U.S. Pat. Nos. to Brown, 3,955,787; Kurtz, 2,789,703; and Shewbridge, 2,201,744, are representative of various patented and prior art devices which are specifically designed to accomplish a supportive type function for various articles. However, none of the structures disclosed in these prior art patents and by far the majority of such similarly constructed stand assemblies which are commercially available are specifically adapted to the adjustable positioning of a woven or like article, including macrame, while such article is being formed.
Therefore, the need exists for a support stand assembly which is capable of adjustably positioning an article, of the type described, and maintain a predetermined position of this article during various stages of its formation. In addition, such a stand assembly should be of relatively simple design and manufacture so as to enable low cost of maintenance and low cost of initial purchase. In addition, such a structure should be capable of being relatively mobile and structured such that the performance of work on the product can be accomplished in a comfortable sitting or similar type position irrespective of the age, agility or general physical prowess of the worker performing the macrame or like process.